Luxury holidays in Tortola
Tortola (named after the Spanish word for ‘turtle dove’ by Columbus) is the poster child for daydream switched-off holidays, with its rapturously beautiful beaches, bays and cays and verdant hilly interior. It’s a firmly ‘out of office’ place, where you’ll sunbathe, sail from end to end, scuba to barnacle-encrusted wrecks and magical coral gardens and try your hand at surfing. It’s also got a reputation for full-moon parties where costumed revellers dance around beach bonfires. It’s a world away from its troubled past, a turbulent history of pirates, spice-route disputes, colonialism and several devastating hurricanes; the legacy of the British might still be evident in road names and restaurants, but the Tortola of today is very much its own – and an immensely special – place.
When to go
For those who a white Christmas is far from ideal, Tortola is a sunny refuge, so it’s at its busiest and most expensive over the festive season. Visit from September to November and you’ll notice a decline in prices.